Heart of America (college rugby)

Last updated
Heart of America Conference
HoAFRUlogo.jpg
Association USA Rugby
Sport Rugby union
Founded1975;50 years ago (1975)
CommissionerBill Sexton
Organising bodyCollege Rugby Association of America
Division Division I-AA
No. of teams12
CountryFlag of the United States.svg USA
Region Central USA
Most recent
champion(s)		 Iowa State
(2024)
Most titles Iowa State (3 titles)

The Heart of America Rugby Football Union is a college rugby conference playing in Division I-AA, with membership composed mostly of Big 12, Big Ten and SEC schools (and many of these schools enjoying longstanding rivalries from the former Big Eight Conference). HOA organizes a league competition with the winner qualifying for the national playoffs, and every fall hosts a rugby sevens tournament with the winner qualifying for the national sevens championships.

Contents

Heart of America was a Division 2 conference until 2011, with Arkansas and Missouri ranked among the top teams in Division 2. [1] In summer 2011, however, with the creation of the Premier College Division (Division I-A), several conferences including HOA decided to move up to Division I-AA. [2]

The HOA conference is led by Conference Commissioner Bill Sexton of Truman State University. [3]

The Confrence is separated in a North - South Division split with each division having 6 schools.

Current members

The current member schools (and the date they joined the conference) are: [4]

InstitutionNicknameCityStateFoundedAffiliationEnrollmentJoined HOA
Iowa State University Cyclones Ames IA 1858 Big 12 29,8872012
University of Arkansas Razorbacks Fayetteville AR 1871 SEC 27,5491980, 2021
University of Kansas Jayhawks Lawrence KS 1865 Big 12 30,0041980
University of Iowa Hawkeyes Iowa City IA 1847 Big Ten 32,9482019
Kansas State University Wildcats Manhattan KS 1863 Big 12 23,5881980
University of Missouri Tigers Columbia MO 1839 SEC 34,2551980
Oklahoma State University Cowboys Stillwater OK 1890 Big 12 23,3071980
University of Minnesota Golden Gophers Minneapolis MN 1851 Big Ten 49,1482021
University of Nebraska–Lincoln Cornhuskers Lincoln NE 1869 Big Ten 25,8202015
University Of Oklahoma
Wayne State College
University of Health Sciences and Pharmacy in St. Louis

Member notes:

League results

YearChampionRunner Up
2009-10 Arkansas Central Missouri
2010-11ArkansasCentral Missouri
2011-12 Missouri Arkansas
2012-13 Lindenwood Arkansas
2013-14 Missouri Iowa State
2014-15MissouriArkansas
2015-16ArkansasMissouri
2016-17ArkansasMissouri
2017-18MissouriKansas
2018-19Iowa StateKansas
2021-22 Kansas Minnesota
2022-23 Iowa State Minnesota
2023-24Iowa StateKansas
2024-25Iowa StateIowa

Heart of America Sevens

The HOA sevens tournament is played every fall among the eight members of the HOA conference and a limited number of additional Division 1 schools. The winner of the HOA sevens tournament qualifies for the annual USA Rugby sevens national championship.

The HOA sevens tournament is one of a number of college rugby tournaments that are tapping into the increased interest of rugby sevens while also targeting traditional collegiate conference rivalries. The HOA developed this competition due to the increasing popularity of rugby sevens throughout the United States, particularly since the 2009 announcement adding rugby sevens to the Summer Olympics, and in the wake of the success of the Collegiate Rugby Championship rugby sevens tournament broadcast live on NBC every year.

DateLocationChampionScoreRunner UpThird
Sep 24, 2011 Lawrence, KS Oklahoma ??? Kansas State Arkansas
Sep 22, 2012Lawrence, KS Lindenwood 21-5 Arkansas Missouri
Spring 2019SeriesIowa StateNANebraskaKansas
April 16, 2022 Iowa City, IA Iowa State 21-19 Nebraska Missouri
April 22, 2023 Columbia, MO Iowa State 27-20 Nebraska Minnesota
April 20, 2024 Iowa City, IA Nebraska 41-0 Iowa State Minnesota
April 19th, 2025Colombia, MO Iowa State 24-5 Minnesota Nebraska

References

  1. ↑ Rugby Mag, Men's DII College Top 25, Dec. 7, 2010, "Men's DII College Top 25, Dec. 7, 2010". Archived from the original on 2013-02-01. Retrieved 2012-09-08.
  2. ↑ Clifton, Pat (June 19, 2011). "D1 Conferences Identified". Rugby Magazine. Archived from the original on February 2, 2013. Retrieved August 30, 2012.
  3. ↑ Rugby Mag, USA Rugby Certifies College Conferences, June 21, 2011, http://www.rugbymag.com/college-news/1271-usa-rugby-certifies-college-conferences.html Archived 2013-02-01 at archive.today
  4. ↑ Clifton, Pat (August 16, 2012). "DI-AA Conferences Set". Rugby Magazine. Archived from the original on August 23, 2012. Retrieved August 28, 2012.
  5. ↑ Rugby Mag, Gateway Collegiate Rugby Conference Launched, April 26, 2012, http://www.rugbymag.com/men's-dii-college-/4307-gateway-collegiate-conference-launched.html Archived 2012-10-21 at the Wayback Machine
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